Southeast Asian Experience (Nam and Laos)

Post card sceneries in Laos (not a post card... YET!).

Lady cutting raw meat in a Vietnamese market within centimetres from her dirty bare feet.
She was also made some pretty stinky "toe" fu.
Steak anyone?
Me riding speckles the elephant through the jungle.
Who knew you could stear an elephant by tugging it's ears!

Sliding down a waterfall in Laos.
and YES... this IS as dangerous as it looks.
Don't worry only 4 people died last week doing this. (kidding!!!...???)

Elephants pooped in the waterfall.

(note to reader: this poop was excremented post waterfall swim.)

Question Mark!!!!

Shop keeper in Vietnam hard at work.

Sometimes you gotta suck it up and be a man!
(I promise I chose this bike only due to a lack of options! seriously!)

This is a disturbing display of dog transport.
I don't think they were being shipped to Disneyland
:o(
Homey... ? Horney... ? Either way it's funny.

This is the picture of ANOTHER kid I battled in a small village. This time in Laos.
Video on it's way (as soon as I find some faster internet connections!!!)

That's right folks.
I'm rocking out in South East Asia and it's been a CRAZY adventure.

Unfortunately, Vietnam wasn't my favorite place. So to all those who warned me, I learned my lesson. I sweated like a pig, people stared angrily, I got spat on, people laughed.
Good times.

A tuk-tuk (cab) driver horked a nice one on my shirt after he decided to decline our services because the group I was with wanted a FAIR price for our late night ride home from the bar.
I in fact had nothing to do with this price negotiation. I didn't care about the extra 2 dollars we would've paid for his cab. However I was the closest in spitting range so I was granted with his horkey treasure splat on my shirt. Yummers.
Oh how I love Vietnam.

Luckily I was only there for 2 days.
The people of Laos however are suuuuuuuuuuper friendly/awesomely awesome
(and luckily I spend an entire week travelling across Laos!)

Lots of adventures have gone down there too, quite an extradinary place for active citizens.

Some of the crazy adventures in Laos:
1. Bike ride deep into local villages off the beaten path.
This was great! I wonder why all the little kids were laughing at me... oh yea!!!
I was riding a bright pink girls bike with a pink basket and a constantly ringing bell.
Shucks.

2. Solo tube ride down a river with an intense current (got split from all people who came with me with no money and was eventually saved by a little girl from Laos who could swim like a ninja. Unfortunately she wanted me to pay her for the save but all I had were the clothes on my back. So that's what she got. Not satisfied after I told her money wasn't an option she pointed at my hat. It happened to be my Funk Fanatics breakin crew hat. Please give a warm welcome to the newest member of the Funk Fanatics crew, Bgirl... Laos Fish!)

3. Elephant Ride (pictures provided. Our elephant's name was speckles!)

4. Waterfall sliding (this was more stupid then it was fun. It's the type of place that stays open for tourists until someone dies. Luckily I was not that person. Woo hoo!)

The only reason I am making this post is because I'm soooooooo tired and moving is no longer an option.

Southeast Asia Total Travel Time: 40 hours on a bus in 5 days
(and counting)

See you on the other side of the world!

PS look at a squirrel for me... I miss squirrels.
Ohhh and um...

PPS Eat a bowl of cereal for me...
Here's the fractional bowl mix break down:
3/10 mini-wheats
2/10 wheetabix
4/10 life
1/10 shreddies

Seconds anyone?

- Mikey

Got to Vietnam. Alone!

Hey folks,

I'm currently in Vietnam and I'm all alone. After walking around for a bit and eating some dinner it started to get dark so I figured I'd go back to my hotel and eat a weird local popsicle on my walk back.

Here are the remaining pictures and videos from Taiwan that I really wanted to share because I had such an amazing time in Taiwan
(unfortunately only for 3 days... Maybe I'll go back before August? who knows!)

POSER. I like to THINK I'm a popper.

Bravo!!! And the award for best store name goes to...

Bboying on the streets of Taiwan (after blowing 2 amplifiers we finally got down after 2 hours of waiting. Well worth the wait, although Taiwanese people need to learn to make some NOISE!)
This is my new friend A-jin from Taiwan. She is as nice as she is smiley!
I had the pleasure to hang out with A-jin on my last day in Taiwan.
Oh and the ice cream was as delicious as it was tall.
It was also as melty as it was ... ice cream!

Based on popular demand... here is a picture of santa claus...
Lay out the milk and cookies folks!


After doing some street bboy shows in Taiwan I was challenged by a seemingly normal old man. My first impression of this firecracker was deadly wrong. In fact he proved to have some spunky tricks up his sleeve and by the end of it we were best pals. He needs to work on his under hand toss though.

Anyways that's it for now.
Off to the streets of nam!

I heart my family (aka you)!

- Mikey

Taiwan ROCKS.

Me and my brother Krazybones (more often known as "jason" here in Taiwan or italian painter because of his new pimpin mustache. That or the pizza boy)

Me and bones on a chinese motorcycle. (don't worry mom! just posing for pictures, we didn't hit any highways!!! this time :o)

Taiwanese Mikey!
Look!!! He's wearing a hat!

I severely doubt she knows what this shirt means...
hilarity... and cleaarly this is not true, unless she hasn't eaten since...?

This is the fire extinguisher on my floor in Hong Kong. It seems to have gone missing.
I believe the caption in red says, "fire extinguisher out to lunch, better luck next time".

yadrrr maytee... keep diggin!

Usually in a coughing situation with back to back passengers on subway cars coughers have 2 options:
1) cough into their sleeve
2) cough in your face
Unfortunately numerous times I was confronted with # 2 and that is what left me with a nasty cough and cold. (but at least I am healed now from magical chinese medicine!!! woo hoo!)

This is me after pulling an all nighter partying and then getting to the airport to go to Taiwan.
This is the time I arrived at the airport. still... no sleep.
This is Cathay Pacific airline's breakfast sandwich. I kid you not it is the best breakfast sandwich I have EVER had. 3 layers of ham, 2 layers of egg, powdery fresh bread ... ohhh yea. In fact it was so good that when I told the flight attendant how much I liked it he brought me 4 more. I humbly declined his offer and only indulged in 1 more.
The story of the two best breakfast sandwiches in my life.An immediate shot of me after devouring the 2nd breakfast sandwich. pure bliss.


How's it going chums!?

Long time no talk!!!
I hope you're eating lots of apples and spreading lots of happiness.

Booby (grandmother) I hope you are feeling better from your surgery! I love you lots!

I've been on the road too much to post lately but me and Krazybones are kickin it in Taiwan and it couldn't be better!

We've hit up funk style classes/practices, student film festivals, a locking competition, fried rice stands and some of the best bubble tea places known to man.

Krazybone's popping is getting to the next level.
He's still a superstar in Taiwan. He's been acting in some of the biggest movies in Taiwan and he is a chick magnet (these are all lies that krazybones told me to write! except for the part about his popping, he is definitely taking it to the next level)

I'm preparing myself to venture off to Vietnam, Laos, Thailand! Then to teach some English in Yangshuo, learn some kung fu in Shaolin and maybe take a tour of Shanghai and surrounding mountains.

Many adventures to be had!
Stay tuned. (same bat time. same bat channel.)

peace and hugs!

love

- Mikey

Happy fathers day!!!

Sending MUCH love from China to all the father's out there (especially my father!!! hi dad!).

My favorite HK building ("ohhhh SHINEY!!!")

Blister anyone? (sharing is caring! :o)

A new friend! (Karl Siu is a keen Hong Kong student who face book stalked me, messaged me, randomly met up with me (to practice his english?) and ended up being my tour guide for the day! Thanks Karl!)

The BEST Japanese green tea bean pancake thing ever.
and YES it is as good as looks *oooze

Thursday night partying (5:47AM)Saturday night partying (5:46AM)

Back in Grade 5 I used to be best friends with these two guys Cad and Mick in Canada. In grade 6 they moved to Hong Kong and we lost touch. A few months ago Mick facebook messaged me and we started to talk again. Yesterday we met up for the first time in 8 years!!!
Oh how we've grown up... sigh.

PS mom I told Cad and Mick you say hi! :o)

on a final note...

Bboying (or "breakdancing" as some call it) is an AMAZING thing.
I've been hanging out with Rhythmattack the top HK bboy crew for the past few days going to practices, clubs, internet gaming bars and just going about the city. I find it amazing how everywhere I go (even if the language is different) I can find so many people through dancing.
Moral of the story... I love break dancing? that'll do.

much love and a turtle dove.

- Mikey

special shout out to christine!

you know my memory only goes as far as my post it notes do!
:o)

PS
I love you ALL. especially you... "me?" yes... you.

good night.

Lijiang. gone. for now. solo travels here i come.

The view on the bus ride from Lijiang to Dali.
Looking out the window beats reading a book!

This is a chinese garbage truck... "Mike why would you take a picture of a chinese garbage truck?" well that's a very good question billy! I'll tell you... there is a story...
Chinese garbage trucks play the same music that ice cream trucks play in Canada...
So my natural reaction to this music was to run to the truck...
In sadness I learned it was no ice cream truck... but a rotten garbage truck.
I relieved my sadness by buying a green bean Popsicle at the local grocery store :o)
note to foreigners in China: garbage trucks are misleading.

This is ANOTHER random kid I battled in Dali. Well we weren't really battling. We were just jumping around and stuff.. we were doing the running long jump but he was just wearing sandles so he kept hurting his feet.. ie: this picture.. hahaha sucker. I won again!!!

This picture is really funny looking. I'm not sure why...

Proud supporter of the Olympic games. Scruffy the dog.

After canoeing for about 30 minutes we got hungry. so as we approached another boat we learned that he was... COOKING FISH ... ON HIS BOAT!!! and so we ate... some of the best BBQ fish ever with mountainous backgrounds and sparkly lakes... ohh shiney!
Don't leave strawberries in your van. Flies infest. (and this picture only captures the flies on the CEILING, imagine how many were flying around me to take this picture.) but don't worry. I just opened my mouth and moved my head around. problem solved :o)

Lijiang food makes mikey (fill in blank)

Barf bag? or SARS horse? (you decide...)
Chinese pimp? or...? I don't know what else he could be.... (you decide?)

"Soo Yo Cha". HEAVEN in tea form. This is the best thing ever. ingredies;Tea with yak's milk butter/oil, nuts, cracked egg, heaven and tea. You haven't lived until you've tried this local specialty. I will miss this forever... this and green bean Popsicles.

The bugs of china.
Swish!
We'll see about that!
The snow mountain surrounded by... not snowy mountains... real? YES!!! crazy? that's what i'm trying to tell you!!! (@ Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lijiang)

Inspired by the words of jeff prosserman (aka my brother). funny because i was thinking this the whole trip so far and then I saw this sign. spooky.

Look they are ... hugging! (PG 13 censorship)

4506M and climbing. Jade snow mountain, Lijiang. taking a quick break to sip on some oxygen tank air so I don't pass out from breakdancing at an elevation where my head could implode.
Bboying on the snow mountain.
These guys were the guitar player and bongo drummer at a bar we went to. I think they saw me tapping the table while they were playing so they decided to let me play the bongos for about 4 songs. super fun times. mikey's shirt translation: "I heart china"
Eagle... BEFORE it tore my eyes out and ate the skin off my face. (joking...?)

Look it's kitten puppeteering!
(No kittens were harmed in this puppet show... except the one in the picture... just kidding...?)

Johnny kissing a dog.
Yummy!
Baby running around with a chef hat on. it's funny because he couldn't see!


Hey all,

Sorry for so many pictures.
I'm just bored. and it's late. and i'm in hong kong. alone. and everything is closed...
and i needed to share my lijiang experience

I'm now in Hong Kong and I've already started to long for Lijiang!!!
Natural beauty.
Mountains.
Blue skies.
Running water.
More mountains.
Preserved ancient architecture.
Did i mention there were mountains?

Lijiang is my new 2nd home.
If possible I would teach English there for a few months.
Maybe 1 semester of english schooling.
and break dancing.
and UNITY
spreading UNITY to small town Lijiang.
have battles on the mountains.
this is NOT only a dream.
anything is possible.

anyways enough of my ranting.

enjoy the pictures.
MMMMMmmmm pictures.

PS I love all of your comments... for example: Adrian, Jeff, Julla, Booby & Zaidy, Shrek, Jordan, and all the other one off or anonymous posters I heart you all. (your comments make me smile... and smiling makes me happy... and happiness, is nice.)

love a dove dove.

- Mikey Mike and the funky bunch